Our newest family member!

Meet our newest little addition:  his name is Bilbo Baggins and he is a 6 week old orange tabby tom.  He is very friendly, playful, loving, and sweet.  I can't pry the children off of him for even a minute to brush their teeth!  Truthfully, I want to hold him and snuggle him all day too.

How to maximize a backyard:

I have something to say.

Let me start by saying that I am horrified by the bombings at the Boston Marathon.  The loss of innocent life and the tragic impact on many lives is terrible.  It was an act of pure hostility not to be taken lightly. 

In the wake of this event, I have seen many declare their support for the victims (as well as for Boston in general) all over the internet.  Posts pop up depicting a candle or religious photo with the caption "like and share if your thoughts and prayers are with Boston".  The underlying message is that if you don't like and share immediately, you are a heartless, terrorist-loving, asshole.  Posts like these perpetuate the drama and hype around an event like this, as well as the fallout and aftermath.  How dare they?  We are outraged!  What is the world coming to?  I must show the internet how indignant I am!

I suppose the person who created the first post had good intentions.  To spread a positive message.  To inspire support and comraderie among the masses.  Good.  I am sure Boston is happy that your thoughts and prayers are with it. 

However, I feel the need to point out that horrible atrocities are committed every day.  As I type this, people all over the world are suffering pain, indignity, trauma, and humiliation at the hands of their fellow human beings.  To name just a few examples:
-Women and girls are being exploited as sexual slaves.  They are not free to choose to change their lives.
-Men and boys are being exploited as cannon fodder for guerrilla armies.  Their families will never see them again.
-Parents of missing and abducted children are agonizing over the welfare and safe return of their little ones. 
-People are dying slow, painful deaths of hunger, disease, abuse and violence. 
-Governments are sanctioning the squashing of the rights of their peoples, sometimes violently enforced. 
-Children are being bullied to the point of suicide, and innocents are being mown down due to lack of mental health care for their attackers.
These things are not just happening in some faraway country we've never been to and can easily ignore.  They are happening right here.  At our doorstep.

Why is the suffering of all these people ignored while the Boston event carries such weight?  Is it because the victims are American?  Is it because they are marathoners?  Is it because it was a surprise occurrence that hasn't been lurking under the surface our entire lives? 

I don't suggest that we should start "liking and sharing" posts about victims of exploitation and the rest.  But I do suggest that we give up "liking and sharing" as a method of mild adherence to the current internet phenom.  If you truly feel strongly about something, then do something about it.  Research.  Educate.  Investigate.  Share your findings.  Take some steps toward a change you would like to see.  Get involved. 

No time or passion for moving mountains?  Fine - start small.  Be positive.  Make someone's day better.  Take care of yourself so you can take care of your family.  Smile.  A simple, genuine act of kindness will go miles farther than simply clicking a button to pass along another stock-photo-like-if-you-agree "issue".